O objetivo do estudo foi caracterizar os casos de lesões na mão relacionadas ao trabalho atendidos no Setor de Terapia da Mão do Hospital Maria Amélia Lins, em Belo Horizonte, MG. Foram analisados 711 protocolos de avaliação dos pacientes atendidos de janeiro 2004 a dezembro 2005, dos quais 238 corresponderam a acidentes do trabalho, com 87% de homens e média de idade 34 anos. Em 45% dos casos, a lesão foi no lado direito, sendo o não-dominante mais acometido (52%). Manutenção e/ou reparação (35%) e serviços e/ou comércio (33%) foram as categorias ocupacionais com maior índice de acidentes e as máquinas o principal agente causador (57%). Tendão (29%) e osso (23%) foram as estruturas mais lesadas, sendo atingidos principalmente os dedos (73%) e as mãos (18%). A grande maioria dos pacientes (80%) levaram de 2 a 60 dias após o acidente para iniciar a reabilitação e a mediana do tempo de tratamento foi 55 dias. As associações da ocupação do paciente com o agente causador e com a estrutura lesada foram significativas (p<0,05), bem como as associações entre agente causador e estrutura lesada e dessa com o tempo decorrido entre a lesão e início da reabilitação. Tipo de lesão e agente causador estavam associados ao tempo em reabilitação, explicando porém apenas 6,7% de sua variabilidade. Essas características das lesões ocupacionais das mãos devem ser consideradas no planejamento das ações de prevenção e de melhoria dos serviços de saúde.
The purpose of this study was to characterize work-related cases of hand injury admitted to the Hand Therapy sector of Maria Amélia Lins Hospital in Belo Horizonte, MG. Medical charts of 711 patients having attended the sector between January, 2004 and December, 2005 were reviewed; 238 were found to be of patients with work-related injuries, of which 87% were male, mean age 34 years old (sd=10.64). In 45% of the sample the right side of the body was injured and most cases showed impairment at the non-dominant side (52%). Workers in maintenance/overhaul (35%), and in trade and services (33%) had greater accident indices; machinery was the major causal agent (57%). Tendon (29%) and bone (23%) were the most frequently injured structures, fingers (73%) and hands (18%) being specially affected. Most patients (80%) took between 2 to 60 days post-accident to start rehabilitation and treatment median duration was 55 days. Associations between patients' occupation and causal agent, and between occupation and injured structure were significant (p<0.05), as well as those between causal agent and injured structure, and between injured structure and lag of time between injury and the onset of rehabilitation. Type of injury and causal agent were associated with rehabilitation time, but they explained only 6.7% of the variance. Such features of work-related hand injuries should be taken into account in prevention planning and for improving health services.